Fermented soybeans. Natto has a very strong taste and smell that many Westerners won’t grow to like. Japanese enjoy it in a sushi roll. Here, it is mixed with scallions in a creative inari sushi. Get the recipe from ShizuokaGourmet.com.

NIGIRI-SUSHI A pad or “finger” of vinegared rice upon which a slice of fish or other topping is layered. This style was developed in Tokyo, then known as Edo, at the beginning of the 19th century, and was served at food stalls. It is also known as Edo-style sushi or Edomae-sushi. (Photo at right.)

Nigiri-sushi artistically displayed on a makisu, the bamboo mat used to roll maki sushi. (Pretty as it looks, Japanese would never use the mat, a food preparation implement, for
serving.) Photo by K.C. Wong | IST.

NIJIMASURainbow trout. Regular trout is masu.

NORI Dried sheets of purple laver seaweed used in the preparation of sushi rolls, known as norimake. The seaweed is washed and spread to dry, then toasted to enhance its flavor, texture and color. When toasted, it becomes black with green highlights.

NORI-TAMATamago, or sweetened omelet, typically wrapped in dried seaweed when served as sushi.

Sushi wrapped in cucumber instead of seaweed is called naruto-maki. Photo by Vasko Miokovic | IST.

OCHA Tea.

ODORI-EBI“Dancing shrimp,” these are ama-ebi served and eaten alive. A Japanese custom, they are generally not served in U.S. establishments catering to Americans.

OHITSUA special bowl to keep the sushi rice warm. Today, these are electric rice warmers.

OHYOHalibut.

Serving ocha—tea—in a tetsubin, an iron Japanese tea pot. Photo of courtesy Harney.com.

OMAKASEChef’s choice—the chef prepares a selection based on the available fish of the day and his personal preferences. See photo at the top of the page.

OKONOMI The practice of ordering sushi a few pieces at a time.

ONIGIRIRice balls or other shapes (squares, triangles) made with plain steamed rice and filled with various seasonings and stuffings: cooked fish and vegetables, nori, sesame seed and ume (plum paste). Some can be wrapped in nori or decorated with shredded nori, as in the photo of the ume rice ball, shown with two slices of pickled radish (takuwan).

OSHIBORI The moistened, heated towel offered to cleanse the hands before a sushi meal.

OSHIWAKU A wooden box with a top used to make pressed sushi.

OSHINKO Assorted pickled vegetables, which can be very salty. Another term for pickled vegetables is tsukemono. Depending on the restaurant, the latter can refer to a pickled cucumber salad. The vegetables generally include pickled carrot, cucumber, eggplant and different types of radish.

Oshinko, pickled vegetables. Photo courtesy 5.ocn.ne.jp.

OSHI-ZUSHI Osaka-style sushi, squares of pressed rice topped with vinegared or cooked fish. The sushi is prepared in a wooden box called an oshiwaku, then unmolded and cut into bite-size squares and rectangles. There are different styles of pressed sushi, including battera (topped with mackerel or gizzard shad and cut into squares or rectangles), bozushi (pressed into a long candy bar shape and cut into bite-size pieces), hazushi (layered with plant leaves), hakozushi (cut into squares or rectangles, Osaka style), masuzushi (utilizing a bamboo leaf) and tazunazushi (toppings put on at a slant, resulting in “candy cane” stripes).

Oshi-zushi. Photo courtesy Mai Cuisine.

OTOROAlso known as toro, the fattest and most prized portion of the tuna, from the lower belly of the fish. As with beef, the marbling of fat makes the cut more tender. If Otoro is the filet mignon of the tuna, chu-toro is the sirloin, akami is the chuck, kiriotoshi is the ends of the chuck, cut into chunks.

PANKO A crispy wheat breadcrumb used in Japanese cuisine. It is made in small flakes rather than ground into crumbs like traditional breadcrumbs, so it provides a crunchier coating. Panko is used to provide crunch in some sushi rolls, either mixed in with chopped fish or sprinkled on other ingredients before they are rolled. More about panko.